The Great Second Advent Movement: Its Rise and Progress

His Own Guardian

The first occurred in the State of New York, less than thirty miles from where I lived. A man accepted the advent doctrine who was worth about $100,000. He gave about half of this sum to his wife and children, who were not with him in the faith. The remainder he considered was his to use as he saw fit; and as some of it went into the advent cause, his children raised objections, and counseled with a judge, pleading that a guardian be appointed over their father. After the judge had explained to them the duties and power of a guardian in managing the property, he asked them to nominate whom they wished him to appoint. After consulting together for a time, they decided that they knew of no man with whom they dare trust the property, and reported to the judge that they had selected their father as his own guardian. The judge turned to the man and said, “Mr.LLL, your children have chosen you as the proper person to manage your own property. Your affairs stand just the same as before you were brought into court.” ³ GSAM 169.2